Lasting thoughts

Overall, my summer expedition to the eastern Philippines reinforced my strong believe that it is imperative for the research and conservation communities to emphasize the importance of the Philippine rainforest to such an amazing diversity of life. As reported by Conservation International, “this country is one of the few nations that is, in its entirety, both a biodiversity hotspot and a megadiversity country, placing it among the top priority hotspots for global conservation.” Aside from evaluating the impact of Typhoon Hainan, a focal goal of this expedition, and other related biodiversity surveys, is the protection and conservation of the Philippine forests. Forest cover throughout the country has drastically decreased from around 70% in 1900 to nearly 3% in 2010. Yes, only 3% remains! In order to create more national parks to protect this biodiversity hotspot, in situ research and biodiversity surveys such as this one are desperately needed to support these conservation efforts.

The thrill and enjoyment of going herpin’ has been a hobby of mine since I was a little kid, but herpin’ for conservation has been, and always will be, a lifelong passion.

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